Charles Hertz, age 13, of Allentown, PA.

What is an ion?

An ion, you might say, is a lopsided atom. Each atom is a bundle of bitsy particles. Its protons are particles of positive electricity.  Its electrons are particles of negative electricity.  Its neutrons are electrically neutral. A normal atom has an equal number of protons and electrons. Its total charge of positive and negative electricity are equally balanced,

Sometimes this balance gets upset. An atom gains or loses an electric particle. Then we get an ion. The protons are not the culprits. They stay firmly welded with the neutrons in the nucleus core of the atom. The electrons are arranged in looses though orderly, shells around the nucleus.  It is these bits of negative electricity which upset the atoms into ions.

Electrons tend to pop off their atoms like loose buttons. When this happens, an atom is left with an extra charge of positive electricity.  It becomes a positive ion, or cation. The roving electron may well team up with  another atom, adding its minute charge to upset its host. This atom now has an extra dose of negative electricity,  It is a negative ion, or anion.

A few atoms refuse to become upset into ions. This is because they have a certain quota of electrons. The shells which enfold the nucleus can each hold so many electrons and no more. The inner shell is completed with two electrons. The best balanced atoms are those with one  two or more completed shells of electrons,

Helium has two electrons, a complete inner shell. Neon has ten electrons, a complete inner and second shell. Argon has 18 electrons, which is three completed shells, These atoms seem able to control their electrons. They do not form ions.

Fluorine has 9 electrons, a full inner shell and one short of a complete second shell. Chlorine has 1'7 electrons, one short of a complete third shell, These atoms tend to be electron grabbers. But when a stray electron arrives to complete the outer shell, the atom loses its electric neutrality. It gets an extra dose of negative electricity and becomes a negative ion.

Sodium has 11 electrons, two completed shells and one lone ranger in the outer shell, Potassium has 19, three complete shells and a lone electron in the fourth, These atoms tend to lose their lone outside electrons. When this happens they are left with an over dose of positive electricity and become positive ions,

Ionized atoms are not happy. They try to get back in balance. Positive and negative ions attract each other. Such particles often team up to form a bigger neutral particle. Some atoms tend to ionize in solutions. The particles can be separated by electrolysis. Two rods carrying electric current are put into the solution.. The negative ions will flock to the positive anode rod. The positive ions will flock to the negative cathode rod. This process does a lot of sorting in industry.